GCU gets second huge road win in a week, ends Liberty's 20-game home win streak

  

GCU's Tyon Grant-Foster scores a bucket in Saturday's victory over Liberty.  (Photo:  GCU Athletics)

LYNCHBURG, Va. – If you’re going to fly over 2,100 miles, you might as well have some fun plans waiting at your destination.

For Grand Canyon University, they brought a tough road win at nationally-ranked San Diego State earlier in the week – and a plane full of students – to Liberty Arena Saturday, looking to snap the Flames’ 20-game home win streak on national television.

Despite an early 23-6 Liberty burst and another big run in the second half, Grand Canyon persevered. The Antelopes overcame that 17-point first-half deficit and an eight-point second-half margin to stave off the Flames and claim a 69-64 decision before a record announced crowd of 4,052 Saturday afternoon.

“We haven’t really been hit in the mouth like we were tonight,” Grand Canyon coach Bryce Drew said. “We were down 23-6 on the road and couldn’t really get a stop. Thankfully, we were able to manufacture a couple points and get a couple stops.”

“At the end of the day, it boils down to whether you make shots. They had really good looks in the second half. Thankfully for us, they just didn’t fall in.”

Liberty (7-3) roared out of the gates. The Flames started 8-for-14 from the floor while limiting the Antelopes to just two of their first eight. A Gabe McGlothan bucket started a 15-1 GCU run that brought the visitors within a pair. Grand Canyon (8-1) finally seized the lead on a trio of free throws from Tyon Grant-Foster with 2:58 to play in the half. The Antelopes led by four before a Colin Porter bucket and step-back jumper from Kaden Metheny to square the game at 32 before the half.

After a McGlothan triple to start the second half, Liberty immediately countered. The Flames tore off a 14-2 run that stretched their lead to nine. Then, like the surprise drizzle outside no one forecast, the advantage dripped away. GCU used a 9-0 run over nearly four minutes of game time to seize back the lead. 

Liberty fought. It clawed. The Flames tied the game twice – once on a Zach Cleveland free throw and once on a Metheny jumper. Still, for every shot Liberty made, GCU made one on the other end. Liberty went on a 6-0 run to shave off a seven-point GCU advantage with 1:18 to play. The home side had two final chances to reclaim the lead on a Metheny three and a Colin Porter layup, but the looks harmlessly circled away and Grand Canyon was able to secure the contest at the free throw line.

“We missed three straight free throws. That’s uncharacteristic of our team,” Liberty coach Ritchie McKay said. “We go 6-for-25 (from three). I’m not taking away anything from Grand Canyon, because they had a lot to do with it. They’re a hard guard. You expend so much energy on the defensive end trying to guard their bounce and their individual playmakers.”

“They’ve got really good players and really good individual pieces. Shooting comes and goes. I liked our looks. I thought we forced a couple, but I thought we had some clean ones, too. That’s part of our game plan – to space people and make them guard us from three. We didn’t hit enough of them tonight.”

McGlothan paced the Antelopes with 21 points. The redshirt senior secured seven boards to go along with his 9-for-10 performance from the deck.

“He was sensational,” Drew said. “He’s one of our leaders and he’s playing like it. Offensively he was sensational, but also in rebounding the ball.  I think Liberty’s really physical and they really attack the glass at a high level, and Gabe really battled.”

Guard Ray Harrison added 19, buoyed by a 10-for-10 effort from the free throw line. Grant-Foster contributed 18 points and seven caroms.

“I’ve had some NBA people ask me about (Grant-Foster),” McKay said. “Bryce does a great job of letting guys play in space and make it hard for your defense.”

The Antelopes finished the night shooting 44.9 percent (22-for-49), despite hitting just 4-of-15 (26.7 percent) from distance. GCU tallied a 21-for-27 (77.8 percent) number from the free throw line.

Liberty finished with four scorers in double figures. Metheny led the Flames with 14 points in 37 minutes of game action. Porter finished with 12, while Cleveland poured in 11. Forward Kyle Rode added 10. While the trio of Metheny, Porter, and Rode accounted for 37 points, the group managed to hit just 14 of their 44 attempts from the field.

“I was very happy (with those numbers),” Drew said. “Those are good shooters. That’s not going to happen very often. We’re just thankful that they had really good looks and the ball just didn’t go in tonight.”

Liberty finished 24-for-63 (38.1 percent) from the floor. The Flames connected on just 24 percent (6-for-25) from three and 62.5 percent (10-for-16) from the line. Five of the Flames’ six free throw misses came in the second half, as Liberty went 4-for-9 in the period.

Liberty resumes action and continues its homestand Wednesday night as it welcomes Tennessee State of the Ohio Valley Conference to Liberty Arena. Game time is set for 8:00 (Eastern), with streaming on ESPN+. Grand Canyon returns to Phoenix to participate in the Jerry Colangelo Classic at the Footprint Center Saturday evening. Game time is set for 9:30 (Eastern) with streaming on ESPN+.

GRAND CANYON 69, LIBERTY 64

GRAND CANYON (8-1)

Brennan 2-4 0-0 4, McGlothan 9-10 1-2 21, Harrison 4-13 10-10 19, Grant-Foster 5-11 7-9 18, Moore 1-5 3-4 5, Wur 0-0 0-2 0, Shaw 0-2 0-0 0, Curry 0-0 0-0 0, Baker 1-4 0-0 2. Totals 22-49 21-27 69.

LIBERTY (7-3)

Rode 4-15 0-1 10, Cleveland 5-7 1-4 11, Porter 5-13 2-4 12, Metheny 5-16 2-2 14, Venzant 1-3 2-2 5, Peebles 1-3 2-2 4, Robinson 2-4 0-0 4, McKay 1-2 1-1 4, Yates 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-63 10-16 64.

Halftime:  Tied 32-32. 3-Point goals:  Liberty 6-25 (Rode 2-9, Porter 0-3, Metheny 2-7, Venzant 1-2, Peebles 0-1, Robinson 0-1, McKay 1-2), Grand Canyon 4-15 (McGlothan 2-3, Harrison 1-3, Grant-Foster 1-4, Moore 0-1, Shaw 0-2, Baker 0-2). Fouled out:  Brennan (GCU), Cleveland (LU). Rebounds:  Grand Canyon 38 (McGlothan/Grant-Foster/Moore 7), Liberty 35 (Venzant 11). Assists:  Liberty 12 (Porter/Metheny 3), Grand Canyon 8 (Harrison/Grant-Foster 3). Total fouls:  Liberty 19, Grand Canyon 17. Technicals:  NA.

Points off turnovers:  Grand Canyon 18, Liberty 11.  Points in the paint:  Liberty 30, Grand Canyon 26.  Second-chance points:  Liberty 9, Grand Canyon 6.  Fast-break points:  Grand Canyon 7, Liberty 4.  Bench points:  Liberty 12, Grand Canyon 2.